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20200129 KITESHOW ShowKite2It's that time of year – time to head to South Padre Island and watch kite fliers from around the world as they 'tie one on' for a weekend filled with amazing kites and performances.

On January 30 through February 1 – Thursday Night, Friday and Saturday – SPI Kite Fest will descend once again on the town of South Padre Island. The festival kicks off Thursday evening with Indoor Kite Performances held at the SPI Convention Centre from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The indoor performance lineup boasts an array of internationally known kite fliers. John Barresi holds thirty-one national championship titles and is the 2018 Open Individual Unlimited Ballet champion. John will be joined by the 2014 AKA National Indoor Champion, James Fletcher (Baltimore, MD) as well as many other talented fliers – Mario Di Lucca & Steve De Rooy (Victoria, British Columbia), Jeremy Wharton (Andover, Hampshire, UK), Spence Watson (SeaTac, WA), Paul de Bakker (Oak Harbor, WA), Paul Lamasters (Germantown, MD), Eli Russell (Medford, OR) and Brett Marchel (New Boston, MI) – to mention just a few. These amazing indoor fliers will show off their kite flying talent as they hit the floor with their choreographed routines to a mix of jazz, swing, classic rock and pop music.

20200129 KITESHOW ShowKite3If you have never been to an Indoor Kite Performance – you don't know what you are missing! It is the truly the best part of kite fest. Tickets for the Indoor Kite Exhibition are $10 per person and can be purchased or reserved in advance at B&S Kites (956) 761-1248. Tickets are not available at the door.
The festival continues Friday, January 31, and Saturday, February 1, when the festival moves outdoors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the flats just north of the Convention Centre.

Kite fliers will bring their magnificent 'show kites' that will be on display throughout the day. Just imagine it – a 150 ft. octopus, a 90 ft. gecko, a 32 ft. clownfish or a 24 ft. spinning bol – or maybe a sky filled with colorful trilobites. Have you ever seen a trilobite; do you even know what trilobites are?
No kite fest is complete without the individual and team performances. Three teams are scheduled to perform at this year's event.

John Barresi is returning with his six-person Team KiteLife consisting of himself, Sari Becker, Jeremy Wharton, Brett Marchel and Eli and Sara Russell. Sharing the performance field with Team KiteLife will be Team Misfits from Baltimore, Maryland as well as Team End of the Line from Austin.

ompleting the flying roster will be a few 'Winter Texans' who have found they not only have a passion for kite flying but a talent for performing as well. Admission for the outdoor event is free.

For more information about kite fest and sponsoring hotels, contact B&S Kites at (956) 761-1248, by email at bskites@hotmail.com, our website www.spikitefest.com, or visit SPI Kite Fest 2020 event page on Facebook.

So . . . bring a cooler, bring a lawn chair, stay for the weekend. You'll be happy you did. You'll not only get amazing photos to share with your friends, you may decide you are never too young or too old to 'tie one on'!

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